Means for preventing the accumulation of lint on spindle drive tapes



April 21, 1964 T. R. WEAVER 3,129,553 MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE ACCUMULATION 0F LINT ON SPINDLE DRIVE TAPES Filed June 12, 1962 THE- N R. WEAVE R0 INVENTC A TTOR/VEYS United States Patent 3,129,553 MEANS FUR PREVENTING THE ACCUMULATION 0F LINI 0N SPINDLE DRIVE TAPES Theron R. Weaver, 421 Burge St., High Point, N.C., as-

signor of fifty percent to Pickett Cctton Miils, High Point, N.C., a corporation of North Qaroiina Filed June 12, 1962, Ser. No. 291,912

3 (Zlairns. (Ci. 57-56) The present invention relates to yarn processing machines of the type having spindles driven by drive tapes and more particularly to means associated with said drive tapes for preventing the accumulation of lint on said tapes.

In conventional spinning frames and some other types of yarn processing machines, rows of vertically disposed spindles extend along opposite sides of the machines and normally one pair of spindles on each side of the machine are driven from a driving member, customarily in the form of a pulley or a tin roller or drum, by an endless drive tape. This tape extends around the driving member and outwardly therefrom around the whorls of the first pair of spindles, then across the yarn processing machine and around the whorls of the other pair of spindles. The tape then passes partially around an idler roll which maintains the desired tension therein before returning to the driving member.

Conventional spindle drive tapes are generally made of cotton or nylon or a blend of these two materials to provide a tape having the necessary strength and de sirable long life. During the operation of a yarn processing machine and particularly a spinning frame, lint collects on the spindle tapes and this accumulation of lint results in variations in the speed of rotation due to slippage or loss of traction between the lint coated tape and the whorls about which it passes. Since the amount of twist inserted in the yarn being processed on the machine is directly proportional to the rotation of the spindles, variations in the speed of rotation of the spindles are extremely undesirable, since the same will cause variations in twist which result in yarn having lower breaking strength and a tendency to kink.

Quite often, lint which has accumulated on a tape will be thrown therefrom and will settle on the yarn being processed. When this occurs, a thickened place in the yarn will result which is commonly referred to as a slub. Such a slub must be removed before the yarn is processed into the finished product or second quality goods will be formed. Conventionally the removal of slubs is effected by breaking the yarn by a slubbing device at that point and then manually knotting the pieces together.

Also, the removal of the accumulated lint from the tapes has heretofore been very time consuming and quite laborious. Conventionally, an employee manually removes the accumulations of lint from a tape by suitable brushes. The practice is potentially dangerous to the employee engaged in the removal of the lint due to the possibility of his being struck on the face or in the eyes by broken tapes, by bristles dislodged from the brush, or by broken travelers which might fly off the rings.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide novel means associated with spindle drive tapes of a yarn processing machine wherein accumulation of lint on such spindle drive tapes is effectively prevented during operation of the machine so that the aforementioned problems of variations in spindle rotation and the removal of the lint are obviated.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide means of the character described comprising idler rolls around which the tapes pass, said idler rolls having the periphery thereof knurled to provide knurls which re- P f 3,129,553 IC Patented Apr. 21, 1964 move lint from the tapes as the tapes pass around said idler rolls.

A still more specific object of the present invention is to provide means for tensioning drive tapes of a spinning frame and for preventing the accumulation of lint on the drive tapes, said means comprising idler rolls having the peripheries thereof knurled and wherein said idler rolls are so positioned relative to the driving member of the spinning frame and the tapes are so positioned around said idler rolls such that lint removed from said tapes will be thrown off of said idler rolls toward the driving member to thereby prevent the lint from being thrown onto yarn being processed.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FiGURE 1 is a fragmentary isometric and partially schematic view of a portion of a spinning frame with portions broken away for clarity and showing two pairs of spindles on opposite sides of the spinning frame and the associated drive system therefor incorporating the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the idler roll shown in the medial portion of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the periphery of the idler roll shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIGURE 1, there is shown a portion of a spinning frame 10 including a pair of spindle rails 11 disposed on opposite sides thereof. A bank of vertically disposed spindles 12, only two of which are shown, are rotatably mounted on each of the spindle rails 11 and receive suitable bobbins B thereon onto which the yarn being processed is wound. Each of the spindles 12 has a whorl 13 formed integrally therewith or mounted thereon in driving relation thereto.

A rotatable driving member in the form of a roller or drum 14- is mounted between spindle rails 11 and substantially equidistant therefrom and is driven by a conventional drive mechanism (not shown). An endless spindle drive tape 15'passes around driving drum 14 and extends outwardly therefrom in one direction around the whorls 13 on a pair of spindles 12 on one of the spindle rails 11 and then across the spinning frame above driving drum 14 around the whorls 13 on a pair of spindles 12 on the other spindle rail 11. Tape 15 then passes back partially across the spinning frame above driving drum 14 and partially around an idler roll 16 which is mounted adjacent driving drum 14 before returning to driving drum 14. It is noted that tape 15 therefore passes around idler roll 16 on the opposite side thereof from driving drum 14 so that any lint thrown off by idler roll 16 will be thrown inwardly toward driving drum 14 and away from spindles 12 to thus prevent the lint from being thrown into the yarn being processed. While the above described arrangement of tapes 15 is preferred, it is contemplated that a tape 15 may be used to drive a lesser or greater number of spindles 12 without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Idler roll 16 preferably comprises an inner race 17 having mounting bosses 20 extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof. Bosses 20 are adapted to be received in a conventional manner by a bracket 18 carried by a bell crank 19 pivotable about the axis of a shaft S under the impetus of a weight W and tape 15 to move roll 16 toward or away from driving drum 14 as required in order to maintain tape 15 under the desired tension. It is noted that bosses 29 are rectangular in cross section and are received in openings of the same 3 configuration in bracket 18 to maintain inner race 17 against rotation.

An outer race 21 is mounted on inner race 17 for rotation therearound by suitable bearings (not shown) positioned therebetween. Outer race 21 is preferably formed of suitable resinuous material having good wearresistant characteristics, and is preferably crowned in lateral cross section to maintain tape 15 on race 21 in proper tracking relationship therearound.

The periphery of outer race 21 has diagonal, intersecting grooves cut therein which form knurls 22 therebetween. While this method of forming knurls 22 is preferred, it should be understood that the same may be formed by any method without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the diamond pattern of knurls 22 formed by the diagonal, intersecting grooves is preferred, it is contemplated that the same may be formed in other patterns which would function in the same manner and are therefore considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

In operation, driving drum 14 is rotated in conventional manner by the mechanism (not shown) and drives spindle drive tapes 15 trained therearound. Each spindle drive tape 15 in turn rotates whorls 13 on the two pairs of spindles 12 thereby rotating spindles 12 and bobbins B disposed thereon to impart twist to the yarn being processed and to wind the yarn thereon. Spindle drive tape 15 then passes at least partially around idler roll 16 with one surface thereof in engagement with the periphery of outer race 21 and therefore, with knurls 22 which remove the lint therefrom.

While applicant is not sure of the exact manner in which knurls 22 function to prevent accumulation of lint on tapes 15, idler rolls 16 having knurls 22 thereon have been used on spinning frames processing yarn under normal operating conditions and the tapes 15 thereon were maintained free from accumulated line. Knurls 22 provide a roughened surface on idler rolls 16 and it is believed that this roughened surface disturbs and raises the lint as soon as it falls on th tapes, and that the lint has a greater aflinity for this roughened surface than for the surface of tapes 15. It is also believed that the roughened surface provided by knurls 22 might possibly create air currents which assist in disturbing and raising the lint upon tapes 15, and in removing the lint therefrom. In any event, however, lint is caught on knurls 22 and removed from tapes 15. The lint is then apparently thrown ofi. from idler rolls 16 and knurls 22 thereon by centrifugal force since in the aforementioned use on the spinning frames operating under normal operating conditions, there was no accumulation of lint on the surfaces of the idler rolls 16.

It will therefore be apparent that novel means associated with drive tapes for the spindles of a yarn processing machine is provided wherein the spindle drive tapes are maintained free from accumulation of lint and the like which would interfere with the rotation of the spindles at a constant predetermined speed and which could be thrown therefrom and cause slubs in the yarn being processed.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, al-

though specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a yarn processing machine having a plurality of rotatable spindles, a driving member rotatably mounted adjacent said spindles, and driving tapes disposed around said driving member and said spindles for rotating said spindles in response to rotation of said driving member; the combination of an idler roll for each of said tapes rotatably mounted adjacent said driving memher and having the periphery thereof engaging the tape for maintaining proper tension therein, said periphery of each of said idler rolls having diagonal, intersecting grooves formed therein, said grooves defining diamondshaped knurls therebetween for removing lint particles from said tapes as said tapes pass in engagement therewith to prevent accumulation of lint on said tapes.

2. In a yarn processing machine such as a spinning frame having banks of rotatable spindles disposed on opposite sides thereof, a rotatable driving drum disposed between said banks of spindles and substantially equidistant therefrom, and driving tapes disposed around said driving drum and said spindles for rotating said spindles in response to rotation of said driving drum; the combination of an idler roll for each of said tapes rotatably mounted adjacent said driving drum and having the periphery thereof engaging the tape, the periphery of each of said idler rolls having knurls for removing lint particles from said tapes as the same pass in engagement therewith to prevent accumulation of lint on said tapes, said tapes being positioned around said idler rolls on the opposite sides thereof from said driving drum to cause the lint removed from the tapes to be thrown toward said driving drum to thereby prevent such lint from being thrown into the yarn being processed.

3. In a yarn processing machine having a plurality of rotatable spindles, a rotatable driving member disposed adjacent said spindles, and driving tapes disposed around said driving member and said spindles for rotating said spindles in response to rotation of said driving member; the combination of an idler roll for each of said tapes rotatably mounted adjacent said driving member and having the periphery thereof engaging the tape for maintaining proper tension therein, the peripheral surface of each of said idler rolls being roughened for removing lint particles from said tapes to prevent accumulation of lint on said tapes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 822,503 Boynton June 5, 1906 1,165,404 Harrington Dec. 28, 1915 1,353,074 Sgritta Sept. 14, 1920 2,303,172 Nutting Nov. 24, 1942 2,627,715 Horne Feb. 10, 1953 2,628,709 Steinmetz Feb. 17, 1953 2,801,733 Evert Aug. 6, 1957 2,869,716 Vidmar Jan. 20, 1959 2,953,894 Stahlecker et al Sept. 27, 1960 3,055,229 Mecham Sept. 25, 1962 

2. IN A YARN PROCESSING MACHINE SUCH AS A SPINNING FRAME HAVING BANKS OF ROTATABLE SPINDLES DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, A ROTATABLE DRIVING DRUM DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID BANKS OF SPINDLES AND SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIDISTANT THEREFROM, AND DRIVING TAPES DISPOSED AROUND SAID DRIVING DRUM AND SAID SPINDLES FOR ROTATING SAID SPINDLES IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF SAID DRIVING DRUM; THE COMBINATION OF AN IDLER ROLL FOR EACH OF SAID TAPES ROTATABLY MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID DRIVING DRUM AND HAVING THE PERIPHERY THEREOF ENGAGING THE TAPE, THE PERIPHERY OF EACH OF SAID IDLER ROLLS HAVING KNURLS FOR REMOVING LINT PARTICLES FROM SAID TAPES AS THE SAME PASS IN ENGAGEMENT THERE- 